


The Quest

by keelerpeeler



Series: One Shots [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M, One Shot, ahh I've never written anything like this before, and I personally think it's cute, because no one does this ship, only its 4, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-08 05:46:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15236682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelerpeeler/pseuds/keelerpeeler
Summary: Well, if he’s not their sniper, he’s got to do something else for the crew, right?And so begins Ray’s quest; learn other people’s jobs. Ray wasn’t particularly happy about a change in routine, but this was a challenge he was willing to accept.---Jeremy is hired into the Fake AH Crew, and Ray is excited.At first. When they seem to use Jeremy more, Ray decides to take matters into his own hands, and, as suspected, it doesn't go well.





	The Quest

**Author's Note:**

> AAH hi!! This is my first one-shot and I just love this ship sooo here we are!! I hope you enjoy!

When they first hired Jeremy, Ray was thrilled.

 

Jeremy was a skilled shot, he was strong, and he was going to be a valuable asset. Now Ray wouldn’t be the sole sniper, which excited him. It got lonely on those rooftops, sometimes, Ray admits. If anyone joined him it was Ryan, and even though Ray liked the guy, Ryan was a backseat assassin. Even without his presence, Ray always felt the pressure of not providing good enough cover for the crew. It was nice to have someone else to bear some of the weight.

 

Jeremy’s first heist went like any heist would. Geoff put Ray on the roof across the Jewelry store they were robbing, Jeremy a few roofs down to provide extra cover fire incase the police showed up early. And with the Fake AH Crew’s luck, the LSPD were pulling up just as Geoff, Michael, and GAvin were exiting the building, bags of money and diamonds in hand. Jack was in the alleyway down the street, car running and ready to get out of there, Ryan in a separate car for Ray and Jeremy. Even though the police caught them off-guard, Ray and Jeremy handled them enough to allow the boys to get to Jack and escape, Ray and Jeremy even sharing a high-five on their way back to the penthouse.

 

After that, Geoff started planning more heists with Jeremy in them, Ray and him becoming a good team. Ray and Jeremy got closer during each heist, Ray learning about Jeremy’s life in the underground fighting circles, Jeremy finding out about Ray’s beginnings as a sniper. They both learn they have more in common than originally thought, and soon they’re fast friends. Ray thinks Jeremy is funny and crazy, Jeremy never turning down Gavin’s stupid bets and Michael’s challenges. Ray admits, he likes Jeremy in a different way than how he likes Michael or Gavin or anyone else in the crew. It may even be a crush, as some would call it. But he doesn’t want to screw things up, so he doesn’t say anything. Jeremy fits into their crew like a missing piece, and Ray can appreciate a finished puzzle, even if it isn’t exactly the picture he wants.

 

\---

 

It progressed from Ray and Jeremy as snipers together, to just Jeremy, Ray being told to stay back with B-Team. Ray wasn’t so appreciative anymore.

 

“Geoff,” Ray pulls him aside, the only two left in the heist room, Ray being told to stay back at the penthouse again, only important if they need backup. “What’s going on?”

 

“What do you mean?” Geoff raises an eyebrow, looking Ray over. “Were you not paying attention? Because I really don’t want to give a recap right now-”

 

“Why am I not sniping for this one? Or the last two heists?” Ray crosses his arms, Geoff’s confusion softening into a smirk.

 

“Oh Ray, we aren’t replacing you. We’re just seeing where Jeremy fits.” Ray doesn’t look convinced, Geoff putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Just a few more, and then you’re in. Alright?” Geoff looks into Ray’s eyes, Ray caving and nodding.

 

“Alright,” he sighs, Geoff smiling before patting his shoulder and walking out, Ray shaking his head before following.

 

Even with that conversation in mind, doubts creep in. _Well, if he’s not their sniper, he’s got to do something else for the crew, right?_ And so begins Ray’s quest; learn other people’s jobs. Ray wasn’t particularly happy about a change in routine, but this was a challenge he was willing to accept.

 

\---

 

1.

 

_Driver._

 

Of course, Jack is their driver. She’s the best, as she always seems to know secret routes and can easily lose a police tail. Ray isn’t stupid, he _knows_ he can’t replace Jack. But hey, most heists involve at least 2 drivers, and usually that responsibility trades off from Ryan to Michael, or occasionally someone from B-Team if Ryan and Michael are both needed in the plan. So why not make it easier for everyone and become the permanent second driver? With that motto in his head, Ray climbs into some random person’s Sedan and speeds off. Ray isn’t the worst driver - that’s Gavin - but he doesn’t drive often. He only has three cars, and they usually collect dust. _In his defense_ , everyone else drives him places - _even Gavin_ (though _that’s_ a dangerous game) - so driving isn’t his specialty. _It will be_ , he hopes as he drives around Los Santos, taking sharp turns and hard stops. He really hopes.

 

Ray thought the best way for him to practice losing cops would be to _actually_ _have_ _cops to lose_. So, he causes a problem, throwing C4 in the street and shooting out people’s tires, gets the police on him, and drives off, blue and red flashing in his rearview. Everything goes according to plan, until, well, Ray can’t lose the cops for the life of him. His “yolo” attitude is shoved aside as he buckles down and focuses, barely losing them for enough time to hop out and hide in an alleyway, glad he decided to steal a car and not use his Adder. _He really doesn’t have time or patience to steal a car from impound._ The police siren gets quieter as he catches his breath in the dark alley, jumping slightly at the sight of a rat running past his feet. He whips out his phone, dialing his boss’ number, tapping his foot on the ground.

 

“Geoff!” Ray fakes enthusiasm as Geoff picks up, Geoff’s sigh audible through the line.

 

“I don’t trust that tone, what kind of trouble are you in? Don’t tell me you got arrested-”

 

“Geoff,” Ray mocks a gasp, “am I not a professional criminal? Please.” He looks around the corner of the alley, eyeing the street sign. “I need a pick up, I’m a little too far to walk.”

 

“Jack’s on her way,” Geoff grumbles, Ray imagining him shaking his head. “Stay where she can see you.”

 

“You got it sir!” Ray sings, hanging up and texting Jack his location. He rolls his shoulders as he slides his phone back in his pocket, sighing to himself. _He’ll just have to try again._

 

Ray’s main goal was to be able to lose the cops and make it back to the penthouse, which only worked in his last attempt, though he wasn’t exactly in one piece. He pulls into the garage, eyes meeting Geoff’s as he climbs out of his car, both of his headlights shattered, the driver’s side completely bent and scratched, the cut on Ray’s forehead dripping blood between his eyes. Geoff crosses his arms at the sight, Ray smiling sheepishly before closing the car door behind him, the force causing it to completely fall off the hinges. Ray jumps at the loud CLANG! It makes, Geoff’s scowl only deepening.

 

“What the hell is going on here, Ray?” The usual teasing tone is gone from Geoff’s voice, now stern and worried.

 

“I don’t know what you’re referring to, boss,” Ray tries, Geoff shaking his head and pointing a finger at him.

 

“Don’t be dim, Ray. This is the 6th time you’ve pissed off the police this week! You know this kind of act makes the cops paranoid. I expect this from Gavin or Michael, even Ryan when he’s going through his episodes, but not you.” The disappointment in Geoff’s voice drops a brick of guilt in Ray’s gut. He looks at his shoes, Geoff putting his hands on Ray’s shoulders. “I’m just worried Ray.”

 

“I know, Geoff,” Ray mumbles, Geoff sighing before backing up.

 

“Whatever is going on,” Geoff motions around Ray, “in that head of yours, stops now. End of story.” With that, Geoff walks away, Ray staring where he was, groaning loudly.

 

_So driver is out. Great._

 

\---

 

2.

 

_Hacker._

 

This job Ray liked the idea of the most. Ray is lazy, _point-blank_ . He prefers staying inside and playing video games or sleeping, so the prospect of sitting behind a computer all day excited him. Yeah, Gavin was their hacker, but he was also the negotiator and pretty damn good in combat. If _Ray_ was the hacker for the crew, Gavin would be out on the field more, which could only help, right? Ray has watched Gavin work many-a-time, playing on his DS as Gavin types away. Ray got the idea it was easy enough, if someone as idiotic as Gavin could be sometimes could do it, then it had to be. So he sat himself behind his computer, freshly-opened can of Mountain Dew beside him, and got to work.

 

Boy was he wrong. After hours of chugging Mountain Dews, screaming at his monitor, and sweating his dick off, he made no progress in hacking into the nearest coffee shop’s cameras. He thought it was going to be easy, but _no._ Gavin made it _look easy._ And even though he hadn’t intended to ask for help, he called Gavin in to _potentially_ give him some pointers. It went downhill from there. Gavin’s quite possibly the _worst_ when it comes to explaining things, which led to more screaming, Gavin making bird noises and leaving the room, and finally, Ray giving up to smoke some pot and pass out. The next morning, Ray woke up with an essay he wrote while high on his computer, all about how beautiful Jeremy’s eyes are. He deleted it and groaned loudly, _again._ Hacker? Out.

 

\---

 

3.

 

_Explosions expert._

 

Ray didn’t think the quest would get this far, so he’s got to give himself some props for determination. The problem was, well, this type of job Ray doesn’t think he could teach himself, so he _has_ to go to Michael. Michael is the demolitions guy, for good reason, as he can name everything that goes into a bomb, the different types of explosions, can build one from the things around him, yada yada. So when Michael tells everyone he’s heading to test out some new explosives he picked up, Ray practically flies over the couch to tag along. Of course, this earns weird looks from everybody within sight, but Michael just shrugs and allows him to join.

 

When they get there and Michael starts setting up his own charges, Ray watches from the corner of his eyes, playing with his DS to look natural. Eventually, Michael laughs and looks over at Ray, catching him in the act of just staring at what Michael’s doing.

 

“You came all this way, to what, play Pokemon? If you wanna see explosives, come over here,” he chuckles, Ray sighing as he sidles next to Michael and looks over his shoulder. “What got you suddenly interested anyway?’ Michael continues, eyes glued to the explosive in front of him. “You barely like smoke bombs, let alone charges-”

 

“Show me how to make one,” Ray spits out, Michael stopping his progress and facing him.

 

“What?” He asks, eyes wide in surprise.

 

“Show me how to make a bomb,” Ray repeats, calmer this time, “please.”

 

“You’re not going to blow up the penthouse or something, right?” Michael teases, Ray shaking his head.

 

“Nah, I just, uh, think it’s cool and it might come in handy, someday.” Michael nods at that, handing him some equipment, making room for Ray to work. Michael begins to explain the process to Ray, describing it way clearer than Gavin did, Ray might add, and Ray works away, Michael telling him exactly what to do. When he thinks he’s got it, they set up the charge and go a safe distance away. Ray hits the detonator, and _nothing happens._ After a safe amount of time, Michael allows Ray to check on it and he returns, pressing the detonator again, and again, and again, still nothing happening. Michael is rolling on the floor laughing when Ray angrily throws the detonator down and sits, pulling his DS out of his pocket and crossing ‘demolition’ from his mental list.

 

\---

 

4.

 

_Muscle._

 

This is Ray’s least favorite and last resort. It’s not that Ray is a bad fighter - you can’t be a bad fighter in this business - it’s that he likes being distant from the chaos. That’s why he was the perfect person to be a sniper. Ray is pretty okay at hand-to-hand, but it’s not his ideal situation. Unlike michael, who takes hits and delivers them just as painfully, or Ryan, who seems to fight with precision, or even Gavin, who fights down to a science (Ray had even seen him use some brute’s own arm to punch him - and if that sounds crazy, it’s because _it was_ ), Ray was a dodger. If anyone swung on him, they’d always miss, Ray bending and moving out of the way of every punch, kick, or tackle. He would wait for the right opportunity to strike, and usually used what was around him as a weapon. Everyone calls it cleverness, Ray calls it being conscious of his strength. He’s not the strongest in the crew, but that’s not an essential part of his normal job descriptions. If you’re part of the muscle, though, _it is_. And though Ray doesn’t normally like brute force, this is all he has left. He just needs to work out more, that’s all. So he heads to their personal gym - which is practically uncharted territory for Ray - and walks in.

 

That’s where he is when Jack finds him, hitting the punching bag, dripping in sweat.

 

“Well,” Jack starts, Ray turning at her voice, “Ray in the gym. This is a new development.”

 

“We train in here Jack, it’s not like I’ve never seen this room before.”

 

“I know,” she smiles moving to stand beside the punching bag. “You just don’t usually come in here by yourself, that’s all.”

 

“I guess.” Ray shrugs, pushing his glasses higher on his nose

 

“Is there something going on? Maybe something having to do with you learning everyone's jobs?” Jack tilts her head, hint of a smirk on her face. Ray could lie, but he guesses she already knows, or could easily figure it out. Plus, Jack is like a mother to him, she’d understand. Or at least try to. Still, he’s not one to talk about how he feels.

 

“Yolo?” He offers, Jack shaking her head, smile on her lips.

 

“I have a feeling this is because of the conversation with Geoff, _about the heists._ ” Jack rests her head against the punching bag as Ray swallows harshly. _She’s onto him._

 

“He told you-”

 

“I’m his right hand. Of course he did.” Jack sighs, Ray’s gaze moving to the floor, his eyes on the barely used pair of sneakers he honestly forgot he had on his feet, found buried deep in his closet. “Listen Ray, Jeremy is a great shot. I’ll give him that. But you’re the best sniper around, and we’d be stupid to fill Jeremy in for you, at least _permanently._ Geoff wouldn’t do that - I wouldn’t let him.” Jack rests a hand on Ray’s shoulder, causing him to look up at her. “I’m sorry he didn’t make that clear enough. We hired _you_ as our sniper, Jeremy is someone who molds to whatever we position him as, but he could _never_ replace you, replace any of us, alright?” Jack stares intently at him, Ray nodding.

 

“I..I know, I just…” He loses his wording, sighing. How does he explain his quest, when he doesn’t really even understand it? Jack squeezes his shoulder, soft smile on her face.

 

“I get it, Ray,” she laughs, Ray smiling in return. _Of course she does._ “I came to get you for a meeting in ten, but you need to shower, so I’ll stall,” she takes her hand off his shoulder, handing him the towel on the bench next to them. “You reek,” she crinkles her nose, Ray laughing and nodding.

 

“Roger that.” He grabs his water and takes a swig, Jack walking away, turning back around to face him again.

 

“And Ray? Talk to Jeremy. With your _identity crisis_ going on, you’ve been ignoring him, and well, he thinks you’re mad at him.” Ray nods, frown on his face. “He’s a good kid, Ray. I know you two were friends. And..that you like him.” Jack laughs as Ray chokes on his water, about to reply but she puts up a hand to stop him. “I know all Ray, I know all. Just tell him how you feel.” She turns again, leaving Ray alone in the room, dumbfounded with a blush on his face and spilt water on his shirt. _Was he really that obvious?_

 

\---

 

+1

 

Ray barely made the heist meeting in time, Geoff giving him an amused look before diving into the plans, Ray slinking down into a seat next to Michael, Jeremy across the room, eyes glued to Geoff. Ray tried to get his attention but to no avail, Jeremy pointedly not looking Ray’s way, no matter how many crumpled up pieces of paper Ray threw at him. After the meeting, Ray back to being their main and only sniper, Ray tries to catch Jeremy but he practically races out of the room, Michael and Gavin dragging Ray into their conversation, Ray’s plan to pull Jeremy aside flying out of the window. The rest of the week until the heist is spent in preparation mode, Ray finding no time to talk to Jeremy, too wrapped up in getting guns and helicopters and scouting the location. Ray’s determined though, he _will_ fix things with Jeremy.

 

The heist itself goes exactly as planned. They get the money and are in helicopters before the cops can blink, laughter and celebratory gunshots filling the night air. They file into the penthouse, drinks immediately being poured and cheers filling the air. Of course, Ray doesn’t drink, so a Coke rests in his hands as Gavin and Michael wrestle next to him, Ryan and Jack on the couch discussing the probability of dying by helicopter blades, Geoff lounging in an armchair, smiling happily, fingers grasping the edge of his scotch glass. _Where’s Jeremy?_ Ray thinks, accidentally out loud, if the nod Geoff gives him to the window is any indication. _The roof._ _Better time than any_ , Ray muses, mustering up all the courage he has and works his way up the fire escape, spotting Jeremy by the ledge, sitting with his back to Ray.

 

“Hey Jer,” Ray says as he approaches, taking a seat next to Jeremy.

 

“‘Sup,” Jeremy murmured, eyes on the night sky, Ray sucking in a breath.

 

“I want to apologize for...uh...ignoring you.”

 

“Did Jack put you up to this?” Jeremy glowers without looking over, twisting the beer bottle in his hand. “That it’d be better for everyone if we just _got along?”_

 

“What? No. I mean...she was the one that told me you thought I was mad at you.” Now Jeremy looks at him, something defensive in his stare.

 

“You weren’t?” He asks, Ray shaking his head vigourously.

 

“God no! I....fuck Jeremy....I was being a dick. I thought they were gonna replace me with you.”

 

“Well that’s just dumb,” Jeremy snorts, Ray nodding in agreement.

 

“Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. You’re talented,” Ray shrugs, Jeremy’s eyes going wide.

 

“ _You_ think _I’m_ talented?” Jeremy gasps, Ray laughing before realizing Jeremy’s serious.

 

“Uh, yeah? Dude, you’re an amazing shot. That’s why I was worried about you taking my job.”

 

“Wow,” Jeremy smiles, Ray’s heart slamming in his chest at the sight. “So you weren’t mad at me?”

 

“No! I like you, Jeremy,” _probably more than I should,_ he thinks, Jeremy’s smile fading. _Shit._

 

“‘More than you should’?” Jeremy whispers, Ray blushing and looking away. _Might as well. You can’t backpedal now._

 

“Yeah, more than I should. More than I like Michael, or Ryan, or Gav, or any of them. More than my sniper, more than my DS, more than the comfort of my bed. More than any sane person does in this business, but really, who’s sane anymore?” Ray laughs, eyes on the soda in his hands. “I like your laugh, how its loud and hearty and full of joy. I like the way your eyebrows crease when someone pokes fun at your height, the way you lick your lips when you’re lining up your shot, the way you tap your fingers when you’re bored. I….uh...I don’t know Jeremy, I’m not good at this. You’re probably creeped out-” Ray’s ramblings are cut off by Jeremy’s lips against his, Ray in shock. Jeremy’s hands are on his shoulders, slightly pulling away as Ray hasn’t kissed back, Ray snapping out of his trance and clasping Jeremy’s neck, deepening the kiss. They pull away, out of breath, smiles wide on both of their faces. “So I’m guessing you’re not creeped out?”

 

“Not in the slightest,” Jeremy laughs, grin bright in the dark of the night.

 

“Cool,” Ray nods,“because I’d like to do that again.”

  
“Me too,” Jeremy agrees before leaning forward, less eager this time, Ray meeting him halfway. Jeremy’s lips are slightly chapped and faintly taste of alcohol, but Ray doesn’t care. Under the stars, adrenaline still coursing through their veins, hearts thundering in their chests, the kiss was _perfect._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! Comments/kudos are greatly appreciated!! <3 - syd

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Gains of the Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17181938) by [missingnolovefic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/missingnolovefic/pseuds/missingnolovefic)




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